To mark National Supported Internship Day (NSID), young people with learning disabilities and/or autism participated this week in a nationwide campaign advocating for increased employment opportunities through internships.
The national celebrations, organised by the charity DFN Project SEARCH, involved various events in Westminster and throughout the UK to raise awareness of the importance of supported internships as a stepping stone into employment.
Supported internship programmes are structured work-based study programmes for those aged 16 to 24 with SEND who have an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) Plan or equivalent and are a proven and effective pathway for young people with a learning disability and/or who are autistic to bridge the transition between education and employment.
Following the publication of the Government’s recent Schools White Paper, the awareness day also provided an opportunity for young people affected by these changes to express their concerns about how access to Supported Internships could be impacted.
SEND Youth Parliament
Earlier this week, more than 100 people with a learning disability and/or who are autistic, from across the UK, gathered in Westminster for a vital SEND Youth Parliament to advocate for better employment opportunities. It is the only Youth Parliament of its kind, bringing together politicians, policymakers, and young people to discuss the ongoing challenges within the sector and advocate that the Government’s SEND reforms prioritise employment outcomes, especially for post-16 pathways, ensuring that barriers to accessing Supported Internships are not created.
The Youth Parliament event was chaired by Jodie Gosling MP and attended by: Sir Lindsay Hoyle (Speaker of the House); Dame Diana Johnson DBE (Minister for Employment); Angela Rayner MP, and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, among others.
Following Sir Lindsay Hoyle’s opening remarks, Angela Rayner MP spoke to the audience about her experience of entering Parliament, whilst stressing that barriers should not stop individuals from pursuing their chosen careers. This was followed by speeches from Dame Diana Johnson DBE and Matthew Upton (Principal Advisor to the Milburn Review), who detailed the Department for Work and Pensions’ efforts to increase the number of young people with a learning disability and/or who are autistic in employment.
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson then discussed the importance of making all workplaces, including the Houses of Parliament, more accessible.
Internships can have a life-changing impact
Kirsty Matthews, CEO of DFN Project SEARCH, said: “Every young person with a learning disability and/or who is autistic deserves the chance to contribute, progress and thrive in the world of work, and yet too many are still being overlooked. Supported internships are changing that, opening doors to careers that might otherwise never have been accessible. National Supported Internship Day is a moment to celebrate that progress. However, it is also a call to action, because for every young person we reach, there are many more who may have never heard of supported internships and are unaware of the life-changing impact they can have.”
Less than 5% of adults with a learning disability who are known to their local authorities are currently in paid employment across England. However, figures from DFN Project SEARCH show how Supported Internships are a proven bridge between education and paid employment, with an average of 63% of those who complete a supported internship programme via their model regularly going on to secure meaningful employment, thanks to the skills, experience and confidence they gain.
Adam, DFN Project SEARCH Youth Advisory Group member, is undertaking a supported internship at London North Eastern Railway and said: “My Supported Internship has boosted my confidence massively by improving my social skills and work ethic. I’m now involved in LNER’s Neurodiversity Network, shaping how the company can better support its neurodiverse employees. I want employers to understand that people with a learning disability shouldn’t be stereotyped and that, given the right environment, we can contribute across every part of a business.”
Alison Bloomer is Editor of Learning Disability Today.
